


Potent Poisons

by CatKing_Catkin



Series: King's Blood [1]
Category: King's Blood (Card Game)
Genre: Card Games, Cardverse, Crimes & Criminals, Dysfunctional Family, Dysfunctional Relationships, Gen, Intrigue, Male Friendship, Poison, Royalty, Sibling Rivalry, Siblings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-27
Updated: 2012-11-27
Packaged: 2017-11-19 17:19:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/575715
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CatKing_Catkin/pseuds/CatKing_Catkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on the Steve Jackson Games card game "King's Blood", and several of the characters included within it.</p><p>Gustaf the Sun King is a benevolent, fair, and above all merciful ruler. So it's an even greater tragedy that he's fallen so gravely ill, for reasons that no doctor can determine. The kingdom is in mourning, and on the verge of breaking down.</p><p>Gustaf's son, Helious, doesn't think his father has fallen ill. Quite the contrary, he suspects foul play, and he suspects his sister, Hecato, of committing it. But when Helious confronts her about her madness and her crimes, he finds himself in greater danger than he imagined. And the aftershocks of Hecato's plots will be felt throughout all the Royal Realms for years to come. Just because her ambition is challenged at home doesn't mean there aren't plenty more chances abroad...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Potent Poisons

**Author's Note:**

> So, I came across this game - King's Blood. And myself and some friends of mine started to play it. We never really parsed out the proper rules, so we made up our own modified rules. And we played this game so often, for a while, that we started to notice some...patterns emerging. Certain marriages that kept happening, certain siblings that were always siblings, certain cards that were always in a family plagued by murders or exiles and certain cards that seemed to bring good luck and prosperity.
> 
> That, coupled with the game's rather stunning and evocating character design, led to us making up stories about what was happening in the cards.
> 
> Coincidence and our imaginations? Probably. But, it was fun, and some things really did stick out at us.
> 
> This is one such story. "Chronologically", it's probably the earliest. Hecato in particular is a card that often proved to be bad news for whatever family she wound up in. Unless she was in the same family with Chris - then the curse was often "broken", and instead we'd have to worry about Aluvar, Anphility, Lucretia, or Voluf

“Hecato!”

Princess Hecato of Crescent Lake looked up as the shout rang around her study. She made a face at her brother Prince Helious, standing in the door and nearly incoherent with rage.

“I’m reading,” she said pointedly, but she closed the book with a snap. “I assume this is important, dear brother?”

Fists clenched at his sides, Helious strode into the room and faced her. To Hecato’s annoyance, he stood in front of the cozy fire burning in her fireplace. She also noticed that he was shaking with apparent fury.

Steepling her fingers before her, Hecato regarded her brother coolly. “Well?”

“Father is not recovering,” said Helious tersely. “And the morning after the doctors declared that he would be well in a few days.”

Hecato shrugged. “Unfortunate, but I fail to see how this allows you to interrupt my studies.”

Helious sneered at her. “Yes. Your _studies_. You do so love your _books_!”

He held up a small, battered volume. The gold lettering flickered in the firelight.

_Potent Poisons._

Hecato surged to her feet angrily. “That was left in my room! You searched my room!”

“As a member of the city’s militia, I am authorized to do so!” Helious snapped back angrily. He opened the book and made a play of inspecting the worn pages. “Now tell me, dear sister, which of these herbs have you been poisoning Father with?!”

Hecato yanked the book out of his hands. To Helious, the firelight in her eyes made her look like the demon he’d always thought her to be. “You _dare_ …”

“Was it the Nightflower?” Helious asked softly.

“You _dare_ …”

“The Black Velvet?”

“You _dare_ …” Now it was Hecato’s turn to shake. Helious ignored her, and carelessly turned a page.

“Or perhaps it was the Deathseeds? The Dark Sickness? The…”

In a swirl of satin, Hecato turned on her heel and strode to the door. Helious stalked after her. “Hecato, I’m not letting you walk away from this! I may not have evidence yet, but I fully intend to…”

Slowly, deliberately, Hecato locked the door. When she turned to him, her expression was very strange.

“Tell me, dear brother,” she said, suddenly sweet and personable. “Why do you dislike me so? It seems that for as long as I can remember, you have looked upon me with such suspicion. You, my own dear brother…”  She continued to step nearer to him. “…and Mother and Father are most certainly the same way. Why, anyone could see that you are their favorite son. I mean…” she gave a little laugh. “Your first year in the militia, and already a Lieutenant? That _is_ quite impressive. Although, if you had joined the Palace Guard, you could be a Captain by now.”

Helious glared at her. “I dislike you because I’ve seen what you are, Hecato. I know the wheels that turn in your mind. How such a great man like Father can stand to have a child with such a warped, twisted, _diseased_ …even Mother, who’s sanity I have always questioned, must curse the day she ever brought you into this world.”

 “Warped? Twisted? Diseased?” Hecato repeated, punctuating each word with another step forward. For each step she took forward, Helious took backwards. “My dear brother, I must say that I am hurt.”

 She lunged, without warning or provocation, and Helious realized that she’d backed him against the fireplace.

The needle sank very deeply into his arm.

Helious, abandoning all of his father’s lessons about chivalry and respect, hit his sister very hard in the mouth.

It was something he’d been wanting to do for many years.

Hecato staggered back, wiping blood from her lips. But she was smiling.

“My dear brother,” she repeated, suddenly triumphant. “You forgot ‘clever’. While you spend all your time swinging weaponry, I have _learned_. I have learned how this kingdom works…and how it _should_ work. Father is a _fool_ , and if he cannot see that then the best place for him is to be laid up in bed, surrounded by those overpaid useless wastes of flesh he calls ‘doctors’.” She straightened up, and laughed. “Now I suppose you do have evidence, Helious. It’s a shame you’ll be too delirious with fever to tell anyone.” She reached into the vase of flowers on the table, delicately pulled out a single large bloom, and sniffed it theatrically. “Mm. Nightflower. Such a beautiful plant. Such an agonizing weapon hidden within. Good night, dear Helious. Pleasant dreams.”

*  *  *

Helious’ memory after that was of a swirling red mist filled with jarring motions and loud, unintelligible noises. He was hot and feverish, unable to gather his thoughts enough to speak. He did not know where he was or who always seemed to be there, on the edge of vision. He was never alone, but he could not speak to his visitors. He was just too sick.

He only heard one voice among the many, and that voice was Hecato’s whispering softly to him.

 _“Father will die, dear brother. Father will wither and die and his dear son is lying here in bed like a babe. And perhaps I will kill you, too. Perhaps that would be the kindest thing for me to do. You look so small and weak laying here alone. I believe it would be the merciful thing to slit your throat here and now and let your blood stain these nice clean sheets. And then I may run this kingdom as it should be run. But, dear brother, you are fortunate._ I am not merciful! _”_

Helious sat up in bed with a gasp.

Someone immediately gripped his shoulders and laid him back down. Helious tried to fight the grip, until a voice spoke.

“Helious, stay down. Just rest now.”

A face swam into view, and Helious almost choked with relief. “Raja…”

His fellow in the militia smiled bravely at him. “I’m here. Are you all right?”

Helious promptly tried to sit up again, but Raja was ready for him. “No, Helious. Stay down. You’re not well.”

“F-Father…” Helious stammered, managing to keep Raja from pushing him back down again. “Where is…f-father…”

Raja’s expression clouded over. “King Gustaf is still…not well. He sends his sincere wishes that you recover soon, but…”

Helious looked up at his friend, desperately wanting him to understand. “Need…to see…have to go to…”

“No.”

He knew that Raja was truly concerned for him, knew that he was sweaty and weak and tired and probably more than a little delirious. But he had not imagined Hecato’s voice. He had not imagined her crimes. And he had certainly not imagined the flicker of madness that had been in her eyes as she stabbed him.

He grabbed Raja’s shirt, fighting to stay upright. “I…need…to…see…Father…” he growled through clenched teeth. “Take…me…there.”

Eventually, the only way he was allowed to leave the room was if Raja carried him. But apparently he had not eaten anything for nearly a week…at least, nothing he’d kept down…so Helious was much lighter than he usually was. Raja told him as much as he carried Helious through the palace in his pajamas on his back.

“My lord?” called Raja softly as he eased open the door to the King’s darkened room. “I’ve brought you a visitor.”

Helious was settled into the visitor’s chair that had occupied the same position by Gustaf’s bed for the better part of a month now. Before him, his father attempted to sit up. Gustaf had always been a small man, practically child-sized. Now, with the sickness that had ravaged him for so long, he was starting to more closely resemble a decrepit old man.

“Helious…” came the weak murmur.

Helious nodded respectfully. “Good day, father. How are you feeling?”

“I’m doing well.” His father attempted to smile, but the lie was ruined when he broke into another coughing fit.

“If that’s your definition of ‘well’, my lord…” commented Raja dryly. “…then I’d say your son is doing quite ‘well’, himself.”

“That’s right…” Gustaf reached out a hand and placed it against Helious’ forehead. It was a practically habitual response for his father, but the hand itself was so hot that the gesture did no good. “You should be resting…”

Helious took it and settled it gently back on the bed. “I know, father. But this is…more important.”

“But…”

“It _is_!” Helious insisted, overriding the protests to come. He coughed a little, swallowed to stop his throat feeling so dry, ad pressed on before Gustaf could speak again. “This sickness you’ve had…the sickness _I’ve_ had…they are connected, father. I have found strong evidence that someone has been poisoning you. When I found out who, they attempted to keep me from revealing their secret by poisoning _me_! You have a powerful enemy, father, and you must know who it is before they kill you!”

“Those are strong claims, my son,” replied Gustaf warily, watching Helious closely. “But I believe you. Do you know the name of this ‘enemy’ we both possess? I would very much like to be well again, soon.”

“Before I tell you…tell _me_ , father. What will you do to them if what I say proves true?”

“I…don’t know.” Gustaf shook his head. “It really would depend on why they did it…what their intentions were…who they were…”

“But they would be punished?”

“It would all be decided after the trial. You know that.”

A trial.

A trial could lead to a conviction.

A conviction…could lead to justice.

Helious had believed in justice all his life. It was why he’d joined the city militia, to fight for his rank of Lieutenant, rather than the palace guard where he would immediately be made Captain by virtue of nothing but his existence.

To Helious, justice was the scales by which the world was balanced.

His sister believed in nothing but her own mind. Her own warped, twisted, diseased, _clever_ mind.

Helious took a deep breath.

Then, watched by Raja the Thunder General and Gustaf the Sun King…he spoke.

*  *  *

“ _Banished?!_ ” Hecato shrieked.

There had, in fact, been no trial. No _formal_ trial. Raja had merely been instructed to assist Helious in compiling what evidence could be proven. They’d used Hecato’s book, the leftover Nightflowers from the vase on her table, and even a sample of the venom taken from the blood of both Helious and Gustaf.

After that…there had really been no real need of a trial. The announcement had been made in Hecato’s own room, and only a chosen few were present to hear it. Gustaf, on his way to recovery now that Hecato’s avenues of access had been cut off, sat in the room’s one chair. His wife, Queen Laura, stood beside him with a protective hand on his shoulder. Raja was guarding the door with his arms folded. Helious, who was still a little weak, sat on her bed.

It had been their father who had given the final verdict, after all the evidence had been presented. For once, confronted directly by her parents and her brother, Hecato had not been able to bluff or lie her way out. Helious had watched with interest as his sister’s famous calm had crumbled as the proceedings went on. He had watched her scream and argue and fight, but to no avail. Gustaf was known to love both his children, and even now Helious could see the pain in his eyes. But the laws were the laws. Crimes were crimes.

And family was family.

“Yes,” said Gustaf levelly. “You will be banished from this land for the duration of ten years.”

“We had to look long and hard for a court that would take you after hearing what you did,” added Laura, with far more acid in her voice. Like Helious, she had detected Hecato’s madness a long time ago. “But King Petchu has agreed to take you.”

“You would take me from my home?!” Hecato snarled. “My kingdom?! My _birthright_?!”

“It would never have been yours to rule, dear sister,” said Helious calmly. “I was next in line.”

“ _You_?!” Hecato let out a derisive bark of laughter. “The soldier! The one who takes orders and does as he is told! Yes, you would make such a _fine_ king. Why don’t we just send out the invitations to invading armies right now? Face it, dear brother, you don’t have what it takes!”

“And neither do you,” said Gustaf. “You do not understand what ruling takes. It takes more than numbers and strategies and tactics. It takes a heart that will care for and defend the people, even at your own expense. It takes knowing what is right and what is wrong. And you, my daughter, have none of that. I can only hope that time away might let you find answers. I’m afraid you will not find your answers here.”

Helious expected another shriek of rage at this declaration, but Hecato only…smiled.

“Time away?” she echoed. Clasping her hands before her, she smiled sweetly at her mother and father. “Why yes, suddenly that sounds quite nice. I have heard that King Petchu is a well beloved ruler. Perhaps some time among his people will be…instructive.”

Helious frowned warily. Gustaf, however, smiled back at his daughter.

“I’m happy to see you with such a good attitude!” he said, clearly pleased. “Perhaps if you behave yourself…”

Raja cleared his throat, and Gustaf broke off to look up at him.

“You have ten days, princess,” he said gruffly. “You will pack your things and get your affairs in order. Upon sunrise of the eleventh day, you will depart this castle. Should you ever return before ten years have passed…”

“Of course, of course,” said Hecato pleasantly. “I understand quite well what these procedures entail.” She bowed to him, then to her mother and father…then to Helious. “I thank you all for your mercy. Now, if you will excuse me, I would like to get started on my packing. Ten days can pass quite quickly.”

 “Of course,” said Gustaf. Laura helped him out of his chair and supported him as he stood. “We shall leave you to your work.”

Raja cautiously left his spot by the door and went to help Helious stand. “Either way, my friend, you should probably get some rest.”

“Of course,” said Helious distantly. His eyes were still fixed on Hecato’s, and his sister’s gaze was not wavering. As their mother and father closed the door behind them, she treated him to a very unpleasant smile.

This smile did not escape Raja’s notice. “Helious,” he said, his voice low and urgent.

For once, Helious decided to back down. He let Raja lead him away, leaving his sister to her own thoughts.

For seven of those ten days, Helious recovered. He spent much of his time asleep, with Raja serving as a guard outside his door. Neither of them trusted Hecato to leave her kingdom peacefully, without one last attempt at revenge.

On the eighth day, Helious decided he was well enough to return to work. Raja instead turned his attention to guarding the King while Helious resumed his duties with the militia down in the city.

For those final two days, all was normal and quiet. Hecato was barely seen by anyone in the palace, with the exception of the servant who delivered her meals to her room. She received almost no visitors, and did not seem to desire any. Most of the palace seemed to be glad simply that she was taking her punishment so stoically. Perhaps, they thought, their mad princess would learn her lesson.

Helious knew better. Hecato never gave up on her plans, never backed down on her dreams, and never allowed a defeat to go unpunished. She’d had ten days to plot her revenge, and he knew she would use them.

And so, on the final night, he stood in his armor with his sword at his side and knocked on his sister’s door.

“Who is it?” came the call from inside.

“It’s your ‘dear brother’! I want to talk to you.”

Silence for a few heartbeats, before the door was flung open and Hecato stood before him, all smiles and good manners. “Why, my dear brother!” she chirped. She grabbed him by the hand and dragged him inside. “Come in, come in! I hadn’t expected to see you before my departure in the morning! What’s the occasion?”

“Quite honestly, I wanted to congratulate you,” said Helious stiffly. “I had not expected you to take your punishment so well.”

Hecato continued smiling. “Well, one does what one can. I could see that there was no way around and, looking back on what I did…”

“Don’t give me that, sister dearest!” snapped Helious, losing his composure. “You never think back on what you do because you always plan it out well in advance. You’ve been the terror of my life and the bane of my existence for most of my life now. Don’t tell me you’re having regrets now.”

He expected a reaction. He expected Hecato’s mask to slip, as it always did when Helious, mother, or father confronted her seriously. In Hecato’s mind, she was the queen. She did not consider even her own family worthy of challenging her.

But Hecato continued to smile. And she shook her head, still smiling, before getting to her feet.

Then, leaning forward, she gave Helious a brief kiss on the cheek. This so surprised Helious that he shoved her back violently, and his sister stumbled and fell back onto her bed.

Helious was still stunned as his sister sat up, rubbing the back of her head. Now, at least, she was scowling. Helious could cope with Hecato when she scowled.

 “And you call _me_ the crazy one of the family,” she said, pouting a little and folding her arms. “Why, dear brother. I find that I pity you. So suspicious that you can’t even accept a gesture of affection from your own dear sister?”

“I might be more amenable to that if my own dear sister hadn’t tried to kill me so recently,” said Helious grimly. For good measure, he wiped the kiss away from his cheek.

“Now, now,” his sister chided. “What would I have to gain by repeating my little ploy? Your good friend Raja is still following you like a dog. Father is under guard night and day. I can admit when I have been defeated, dear Helious. You’ve got what you’ve always wanted. I’ve been exposed as a madwoman lusting for the throne…”

“You are and have always been a madwoman lusting for the throne.”

“…truly, there is nothing here for me now. I look at this as a new opportunity. A chance for a fresh start. Perhaps…I can do some good for King Petchu’s lands.”

“From anyone else, I would not be suspicious. But from you…”

“Oh, I’m well aware,” said Hecato, cupping her chin in her hand and smiling lazily at him. “And I know that it absolutely galls you that I’ll soon be out of your reach for such a long time. I’ll be out of your jurisdiction and out of your grasp…free to do _exactly_ as I wish.”

Helious laid a hand threateningly on his sword hilt. “Hecato…”

“Oh, don’t be foolish. You know as well as I do that you place ‘family honor’ far too highly to strike even me. Accept it, dear brother. I may have lost in my endeavors here, but I can move on. You are trapped here, but your lofty virtues of ‘duty’ and ‘honor’. I shall be free to do as I wish once I leave the borders of Father’s lands. Actually…I’ve been rather looking forward to it. Now, dear brother, stop frowning like that before your face freezes that way. And, while this visit has been quite nice, I still have some packing to do. Good night, Helious. I suppose I shall see you…for the last time…in the morning. Pleasant dreams.”

*  *  *

The procession that saw Hecato off was a strange and silent one.

Helious and Raja were there, standing side-by-side in full ceremonial armor, drawn back a little from the proceedings. Raja, for once, looked quite apprehensive. Helious waited beside him, arms folded and wishing… _praying_ …that on this morning and on this day his nightmare would finally be ended.

An assortment of house servants and attendants…including Hecato’s ladies-in-waiting, reckoned by most of the court to be the only band of human beings that Hecato treated with any decency, and who responded with loyalty in kind…were waiting in a row, lining the path that led down from the grand central doors where the mad princess would take her final walk. Helious’ gaze lingered on the ladies-in-waiting, who stood in their identical black uniforms with their hands clasped demurely before them. If any trouble came this day, it would be from them. Two of these ladies, Cordelia and Jannu, had even been allowed to accompany their lady on her journey.

King Gustaf and Queen Laura were there, standing somber in dress and manner as they flanked the front gates. Helious knew that his parents regretted deeply that things would end like this. Gustaf, with his tender heart, would always love his daughter no matter how much of a monster she was. And Laura…Helious had known her all his life, and would probably never know what true feelings Laura hid in the depths of her heart.

The gates opened, with an ominous creak that suddenly seemed very appropriate to what was about to occur. Princess Hecato strode out, held up high. Behind her walked Cordelia and Jannu, each carrying her luggage.

His sister was dressed for traveling, and carried a single bag slung over her shoulder. She was smiling, with purpose in her eyes. Helious paused as he looked at her. His sister looked…determined. She also looked very, very happy.

She looked at the carriage that would take her away. It was a fine thing, because even in judgment Gustaf was a fundamentally kind man.

Then, she gazed around at all of them. At her mother and father, at her brother and his friends, at her sad-faced ladies…and her smile only widened. Then, she opened the door and clambered in without a word.

Cordelia strode up to the coach door, and handed something to Hecato that Helious could not see. It was accepted, and Cordelia turned away again. Then, she and Jannu hopped onto the back, just as wordlessly…although Jannu blew a quick kiss to Evenstar.

Then, the coachman cracked his whip, and the horses started to walk. The silent throng watched as it trundled on, and passed through the gate and away down the road.

Without a backwards glance to the brother, mother, or father she had spent most of her life tormenting and hurting…Hecato was gone. Helious watched as the carriage carrying the mad princess…his only sister…grew smaller and smaller in the light of the rising sun.

He was brought back to reality when Raja sighed.

“Well…that was a bit anticlimactic, wouldn’t you say?”

Helious nodded.

*  *  *

Hecato settled herself more comfortably into her coach seat and shuffled the papers Cordelia had handed her. She flipped through page after page of notes and reports from her loyal ladies. It all contained valuable information on her new home. She supposed Helious had been right to be suspicious, the fool. While Hecato had lost in her attempts for her own throne…there were plenty of others. Plenty of other kingdoms ruled by foolish lords, just waiting for her to move in and take command.

Hecato paused as she found the two pages she’d been looking for. The corner of one peeked out from behind the other, but enough for her to see the names written carefully at the top of the page. A small sketch accompanied each report, and she took a moment to memorize each one. Each drawing depicted a small child…two small children she knew would play a very important role in her plans.

The name on the top of the first read _Eric Valentine._

The name on the top of the second read _Vasilia Valentine._

Hecato allowed a faint smile to creep across her face. _Eric_ and _Vasilia_. The darlings of the kingdom, loved by their father and their subjects…and, she imagined, by each other. She imagined that they would probably have a relationship quite different from the one she had shared with her dear brother.

But none of that mattered. All that mattered was finding her moment to strike.

It would take patience, she knew. Yet if Hecato had one thing, it was patience. She would watch and wait, speak and listen, and plan, plan, plan.

The cart…stopped. Hecato blinked, as it took her a few heartbeats to register the cessation of movement. Then, she surged to her feet and flung open the door, leaning out to shout at the driver. “What is the meaning of this?! We are not scheduled to stop until midday!”

“I couldn’t’ help it!” the driver called back. “There’s a man in the road, and he wanted to talk.”

Hecato scowled. “Oh, is that so?”

She slung herself down from the coach and stormed around to the front. Sure enough, a stranger stood firmly in the middle of the road. He was tall and broad shouldered, with tan skin and long brown hair. His clothes were ragged and frayed at the edges, and a scarf wrapped around his neck trailed down almost into the dirt. The only thing of value about him was the small harp that hung at his belt. His arms and legs were bare, and Hecato could see that he was powerfully built and clearly very strong.

But the smile he turned on her was easy and kind. “Hello. I’m so sorry to hold you up, but I was only wondering if you might be going to Mitchi, a few miles down the road?”

“Mitchi is… _one_ of our destinations, yes,” said Hecato warily. Her eyes kept flickering to the harp at his belt. “Why do you ask?”

“I was wondering if you might allow me to ride for a while in your carriage?” asked the strange man. He held up another pouch. “I can pay my way, of course. I can ride on the roof, if you like. I’d just like to save some wear and tear on my feet.”

Every fiber of Hecato’s princess instincts rose up in rebellion. He was lower than a commoner. He was quite probably a _foreigner_. What business did he have of even speaking to her?

But something older…or perhaps, something _younger_ …rose up in her. Something that ached for one thing. Something from her halcyon days as a child, when she had not learned to see the world as she did now.

She held up a hand, and sighed.

“I do not need your money. There is, in fact, only one thing you can give me as payment. When we arrive at Mitchi…I want you to give me a song.”

The man blinked…then, the smile was back. He bowed to her. “Music is my life, dear lady. I know I can write a song for one as lovely as you. I accept wholeheartedly.”

He walked past her to the carriage, and she saw him begin to sling himself onto the roof.

 “Wait,” she whispered.

He looked at her curiously.

“There is room on the inside of the carriage. If you so desire…you may ride…with me.”

Hecato did not know why she was doing what she was doing, saying what she was saying. But the man’s easy smile, and the promise of a song, had torn all her dignity and manners and piercing perception away. She felt helpless and exposed, and it was a feeling she both despised…and was deeply intrigued by.

He grinned. “That’s very kind of you.” He dropped lightly to the ground, dusting himself off. “Perhaps I can even play you a song on the way, to make the trip go a bit faster? But first, I would like to know your name.”

“Hecato.” Hecato opened her mouth to add “princess”…but she let the word die helplessly as the…the _being_ of the man overwhelmed her. She could read him like a book, but she could somehow see that he knew this and did not mind. He was straightforward, almost painfully so.

And then…there might a song…

“Just Hecato,” she finished lamely.

“It’s a pleasure, Hecato.” Gallantly, he took her hand to help her back into the carriage. “You can call me Chris.”


End file.
